fashion

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: FINALLY CELEBRATING YOUNG DESIGNERS

New York Fashion Week is in full swing with the Spring 2019 collections and street style stars out in full force.  Just look on your Instagram feed and hundreds of runway images will pop up. From Tom Ford’s show, which kicked off the week to Jeremy Scott’s celebrity heavy front row.

There are literally hundreds of shows that editors, buyers and the general public will get to see during the grueling Spring/Summer 2019 season in New York, London, Paris and Milan. And, while attendance is always high at established designers’ shows, with everyone traditionally looking to those brands for fashion trends and direction, at University of Fashion we feel that it is time to take note of the many new, young, up-and-comers… the future of the fashion industry… and we want to celebrate and promote these new design talents.

After all, here at UoF  know that breaking into the fashion industry is no easy feat. It not only takes incredible talent, but lots of hard work, time,  and the right team to help put the collection together, let alone the money to be able to show during fashion week.

PH5

Mija Zhang and Wei Lin are the design duo behind the hot, new knitwear label PH5. These young designers experiment with textile technologies in their collections to create effortless pieces with a cool edge. For their Spring 2019 collection, the designers looked to Miami’s Art Deco district for inspiration, which translated into graphic silhouettes in an array of colors. For those who shy away from color, there were plenty of neutral pieces that were both modern and chic.

 WARM

Winnie Beattie is the young designer behind the label Warm. The brand is quickly becoming known for its pretty print dresses with a laid back vibe. For spring, Beattie was inspired by summer vacation mode – but this beach inspired collection looks just as pretty in a beach town as it does in the city. There were plenty of bold pajama looks, romantic floral dresses, bohemian inspired frocks, and playful jumpsuits. While the collection is casual, it is balanced with a sophisticated twist giving the overall collection a charming je ne sais quoi.

 

MATTHEW ADAMS DOLAN

What do you get when you mix 90s ravers, 80s schoolgirls and 50s couture tailoring? A bold and youthful collection created by Matthew Adam Dolan. This young designer showed both his menswear and womenswear looks on the runway and they were packed with functional-meets-utilitarian references.  Adams Dolan showed plenty of neon bright colors, as well as a nod to Goth kids with all black denim looks. This is a 90s kid dream collection.

 

AMBUSH

Yoon Ahn sure has her hands full. The designer started her label Ambush as a jewelry line, but for spring she expanded her brand to include a full ready-to-wear collection. This designer has also announced her appointment by Kim Jones as the lead jewelry designer for Dior Homme’s jewelry.
Ahn’s spring RTW collection was young and playful. Inspired by Hawaii, the collection had a laid back surfer vibe; she even created functioning wetsuits for both men and women. For girls, the collection included crochet tops, voluminous drawstring trousers, oversized knit sweaters and hoodies with palm tree motifs. Ahn’s menswear included tie-dye tops, boxy shirting, a puffer jacket vest and striped baja shirts. To complete the collection, Ahn also created two metallic surfboards, just perfect for riding her wave of newfound success.

COLLINA STRADA

We all need a little zen in our lives and this season, Hillary Taymour, delivered a pure and thought-provoking collection for her label Collina Stada. The opening looks set the tone, a crisp white blouse tied just below the bust paired with a simple slip skirt – it was sophisticated, chic and yet effortless. Key looks ranged from a simple slipdress with a tied hem paired over a sheet mock-neck top, a pony hair skirt, and a muted checkered trouser. To add a pop of color to the collection, Taymour created some alluring tie-dye pieces that ‘tied’ the collection together perfectly.

 

BANDE NOIR

Mayte Allende started her fashion career as a fashion editor for WWD viewing thousands of young designer collections through her 15 years with the publication. Today, Mayte Allende sits on the other side of editor previews as Creative Director for the label Bande Noir. It’s her second season with the contemporary brand and she is gaining a following within the fashion crowd.
Bande Noir started out as a luxury basics line that was known for its great shirts, but Allende is expanding the line into a well-rounded collection. New looks include floral print dresses, bustier tees, menswear-inspired trousers with ruffled detail, a sequin striped shirt, and an evening trench coat with a pleated back. Allende managed to perfectly balance what buyers are looking for but still managed to keep her clear and focused vision for the brand.

ECKHAUSE LATTA

 This season, Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta, the designers behind the label Echhause Latta presented one of their strongest collections to date with an emphasis on tailoring. The duo struck the perfect balance between whimsical and sales oriented pieces. For women, the designers created beautiful spider web crochet T-shirt dresses, plaid dresses, and a stellar knitted argyle dress that closed the show. Their menswear collection had plenty of terrific jackets, with oversized dropped shoulders and cinched waists. The designers also offered a range of dip-dyed denim and color-blocked knits – all in pretty pastel tones that were youthful yet chic.

 

 

CHISTIAN COWAN

It’s not often that you see celebrities sitting in the front row of a young designer’s fashion show, but at Christian Cowan’s presentation, his front row was filled with pop stars from Christina Aguilera to Kim Petras. So naturally, Cowen offered plenty of stylish options for these stars. For evening, there were over-the-top black tulle gowns with sheer tops, a sexy sequin zebra print mini dress and a showstopper lilac pantsuit with exaggerated feather trim. The collection had plenty of stage-worthy costumes, such as a checkerboard bodysuit with voluminous sleeves. Cowen also showed some day looks that were anything but basic. Case in point, a black logo hoodie with silver sequin embellishments – perfect for a pop star coffee run.

 

 

PYER MOSS

Jean-Raymond, the young designer behind the label Pyer Moss, has been known to use his platform to stand up to social and unjust causes during his runway shows. This season Raymond looked to the current landscape of African-American life in America. Through his research he found a copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book, published in the 1930’s, as a guidebook citing all of the restaurants and hotels that were safe for African-American travelers. This had Raymond thinking about the racial tension at the time and what life must have been like, and so his collection started to unfold.
Raymond commissioned 10 paintings from Derrick Adams (a rising star in the art world) and incorporated these paintings throughout his collection; portraying everyday life of African-Americans during the 1930’s. Raymond also payed tribute to African-American designers who came before him and this season he focused on the popular 90s streetwear brand FUBU with logo-driven tops. It was a beautiful and powerful tribute to the community as he continues, season after season, to blend social issues and fashion with a sophisticated hand.

GRETA CONSTANTINE

Studio 54 and all the decadence and glamour of the 80s was the inspiration behind Greta Constantine’s Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong. The designers delved deep into research and were influenced by the silhouettes of Christian Lacoix, Yves Saint Laurent and Halston. While the 80s seem to influence so many designer collections today, Pickersgill and Wong translated the era beautifully. The collection was filled with party looks: flirty puff sleeve minidresses, sultry animal print maxi dresses, a sexy lame jumpsuit, and even a pinstripe look with ruffle trimmed sleeves. Perfect looks for hitting the dance floor.

Rare Kicks Auctioned to Kick Slave Labor in the Fashion Industry

This summer, the rarest, most coveted sneaker collaborations were on view on Park Avenue at the Tongue + Chic, Sneakers  X Artists exhibition. The exhibition ran for only about a month and a half, and we were lucky to make it in before the closing date of August 31. Sneakerheads came from near and far (and formed lines around the block) just to get a glimpse of famous collaborations between Nike, Converse, Puma, Reebok and various artists and influencers. 

 

 

The First Fashion Influencers – Before Social Media Mania

It’s hard to imagine life before social media became an integrated part of our everyday lives – there is just no escaping it. Our dependence on it has grown tremendously, especially over the last few years. It you are an Insta, Pinterest, Facebook or SnapChat follower, you don’t even realize how much of an ‘influence’ these channels, even subliminally, are having on your fashion choices.

In the not so distant past, however, fashion was presented to the world in an extremely controlled way, by a tight knit group of retailers and publishers whose stores, magazines, editorials and even the advertising that they chose, all projected a certain point of view…theirs. Every image presented was methodically staged and fully orchestrated by them. These carefully curated images usually represented a fantasy of beauty and inclusiveness that many in the ‘real world’ felt very out of touch with. Fast-forward to the digital age. Today, it’s a very different story. Thank goodness.

With platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, consumers have become their own magazine editors, as they share their personal style with millions of users. Fashion savvy customers no longer rely on magazines to tell them what the latest ‘must have’ item of the season is, and Millennials, Gen Zers and iGeners are looking to bloggers, influencers, celebrities and even their own sartorial friends for the latest fashion trends.
But when did the concept of the ‘fashion influencer’ begin? Let’s take a look back in time. The very first fashion influencers were royalty. When Rose Bertin (considered the first fashion designer) started dressing Queen Marie Antoinette during the 1770s, and Charles Frederick Worth (the Father of Haute Couture) became couturier to Empress Eugénie and Queen Victoria in the mid 1800s, these royal ladies became the first fashion influencers. This trend continued until the birth of cinema in the early 1900s, when starlets of the silver screen became the next wave of influencers.
While it appeared that these women wore whatever they wanted, the truth is, that many were dressed by famous designers and signature looks were created just for them (think Givenchy for Audrey Hepburn and designer Gilbert Adrian for Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Carol Lombard). Costume designers, such as Edith Head, also played a role in helping create  looks that accentuated that particular starlet’s figure type (think Dorothy Lamour, Ginger Rogers, Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, Grace Kelly, Shirley McLaine, and Elizabeth Taylor).
It didn’t take long for socialites to join the royals and starlets and of course, lest we forget…  fashionable FLOTUS and British royalty, who, either with the help of some very talented designers, or by using their personal fashion sense, were added to the list of fashion influencers.
With platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, consumers have become their own magazine editors, as they share their personal style with millions of users. Fashion savvy customers no longer rely on magazines to tell them what the latest ‘must have’ item of the season is, and Millennials, Gen Zers and iGeners are looking to bloggers, influencers, celebrities and even their own sartorial friends for the latest fashion trends.
But when did the concept of the ‘fashion influencer’ begin? Let’s take a look back in time. The very first fashion influencers were royalty. When Rose Bertin (considered the first fashion designer) started dressing Queen Marie Antoinette during the 1770s, and Charles Frederick Worth (the Father of Haute Couture) became couturier to Empress Eugénie and Queen Victoria in the mid 1800s, these royal ladies became the first fashion influencers. This trend continued until the birth of cinema in the early 1900s, when starlets of the silver screen became the next wave of influencers.
While it appeared that these women wore whatever they wanted, the truth is, that many were dressed by famous designers and signature looks were created just for them (think Givenchy for Audrey Hepburn and designer Gilbert Adrian for Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Carol Lombard). Costume designers, such as Edith Head, also played a role in helping create  looks that accentuated that particular starlet’s figure type (think Dorothy Lamour, Ginger Rogers, Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, Grace Kelly, Shirley McLaine, and Elizabeth Taylor).
It didn’t take long for socialites to join the royals and starlets and of course, lest we forget…  fashionable FLOTUS and British royalty, who, either with the help of some very talented designers, or by using their personal fashion sense, were added to the list of fashion influencers.